1. Field
This disclosure relates to performing document processing operations using public and private data sources and output locations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A document processing device (DPD) is a device providing at least one document processing function, such as print, copy, scan and fax. A multifunction peripheral (MFP) is a type of document processing device which is an integrated device providing at least two document processing functions. Each document processing function automatically converts an input document (electronic or physical) into a new output document (electronic or physical).
Documents may be physically or logically divided into pages. A physical document is paper or other physical media bearing information which is readable unaided by the typical human eye. An electronic document is any electronic media content (other than a computer program or a system file) that is intended to be used in either an electronic form or as printed output. Electronic documents may consist of a single data file, or an associated collection of data files which together are a unitary whole. Electronic documents will be referred to further herein as documents, unless the context requires some discussion of physical documents which will be referred to by that name specifically.
In printing, a DPD automatically produces a physical document from an electronic document. In copying, a DPD automatically produces a physical document from a physical document. In scanning, a DPD automatically produces an electronic document from a physical document. In faxing, a DPD automatically transmits via fax an electronic document from an input physical document which a DPD has also scanned or from an input electronic document which a DPD has converted to a fax format.
DPDs are often incorporated into corporate or other organization's networks which also include various other workstations, servers and peripherals. A DPD may provide remote document processing services to external or network devices.
A DPD may also receive services from a “cloud”, which is to say from one or more remote computing devices accessed via a network. Services received from the cloud may include, for example, maintenance services such as monitoring of a DPD operational status, monitoring the amount of consumables (e.g. paper and toner) available at a DPD, and providing configuration and software/firmware updates. Services received from the cloud may also include management services such as aggregating useage and billing information across multiple DPDs, and security services such as distribution and validation of user credentials (e.g. user identities and passwords). In some cases, such as reporting maintenance and billing information, the “service” provided by the cloud may be simply to accept, store, and aggregate information pushed up to the cloud by one or more document processing devices. Services received from the cloud may further include document services such as character recognition processing of scanned documents and remote document storage. The cloud may store information about a plurality of DPDs, such as device configuration, policies, error status, maintenance history, and other information.
Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit reference designators, where the most significant digit is the figure number where the element is introduced, and the two least significant digits are specific to the element. An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described element having the same reference designator.